Breast Augmentation

Rapid Recovery Breast Augmentation – Northern Virginia

Breast augmentation, also called breast enlargement, enhances the size, fullness, and shape of breasts with breast implants.

For patients who’d like to restore volume after weight loss, pregnancy, or aging, a breast augmentation can give you a perfectly balanced figure*. Breast augmentation is also an excellent option for women who’d like to enlarge naturally smaller breasts. Patients often enjoy boosted confidence, the ability to wear more clothing styles, and a general increase in self-esteem after breast enlargement. Learn how you can transform your look with this popular procedure, get the figure you’ve always wanted, and recover quickly and safely with Rapid Recovery.

What is Rapid Recovery Breast Augmentation?

Rapid Recovery is an innovative approach that allows most patients to return to normal activity within 24 to 48 hours after their breast augmentation surgery, without the need for narcotics, pain pumps, or special surgical support bras.

The Rapid Recovery approach to breast augmentation surgery involves a combination of rest, over-the-counter pain medication, and movement. The goal is to promote proper healing with less discomfort and downtime. We will send you home with detailed post-surgical instructions that include how to take care of your incisions, when to nap, and when to eat and take medications.

We recommend planning an outing the day after your breast augmentation surgery to get you out and about. We also suggest raising your arms above your head during your recovery process. The more you move, the faster you will heal.

Am I Qualified for Breast Implant Surgery?

Candidates for breast augmentation should be over 18, unhappy with the size or shape of their breasts, and live in the Alexandria, VA, area, or be willing to travel. Ideal patients should also be in good health, within their target body weight, and not pregnant.

Deciding on an ideal shape and size is very difficult while the breasts are still developing. If you are a younger woman thinking about getting breast augmentation, waiting until your breasts have finished growing will help you and Dr. Desman decide what breast implant is right for you.

How We Perform Breast Augmentation Surgery at VCPS

Implant placement can determine the overall look and feel of your breast augmentation results. At your consultation, Dr. Desman will help you determine which implant placement is best for you. Your options for implant placement include submuscular and subglandular. While both options produce excellent results, the right one for you depends on your cosmetic goals and your anatomy.

Submuscular Implant Placement

Placement of the implant beneath the pectoral muscle is known as submuscular placement. The implant is usually placed beneath two-thirds of the chest muscle, but a full submuscular placement is also an option. Every breast implant incision option is available with a submuscular implant placement.

Benefits:

More natural appearance and feel since edges and ripples are covered by the muscle

Better results for women with small breasts

Will not interfere with mammogram results

Minimal risk of capsular contracture

Lower chance of implant bottoming out, which is when the implant is too low and the nipple is too high

Disadvantages:

Implant will sit higher until chest muscles relax

Athletic women may have a distorted appearance and chance of implant displacement during workout

Subglandular Implant Placement

Subglandular breast implant placement is also known as submammary or over-the-muscle placement. With this method, Dr. Desman places the implants between the mammary glands and the pectoral muscle. Every incision type is available with subglandular implant placement.

Benefits:

Better option for women who are involved in weight training because implant won’t shift when chest muscles are flexed

Easy to access if another surgery is needed

Disadvantages:

Less natural appearance than submuscular placement

Pronounced roundness of breast

Capsular contracture more likely to occur

Difficulties in mammogram imaging

Rippling or feeling of rippling more likely to occur, especially in women with little natural breast tissue

Breast Augmentation Incision Options

There are two main options for breast augmentation incision placement: periareolar and inframammary fold.

Periareolar Incision Placement

The periareolar incision is made along the lower half of the skin between the breast and the areola. It is sometimes called a nipple incision, and it is an open procedure. This type of incision is optimal for minimizing the appearance of scars, because the incision is in an area where the skin changes color and texture.

Likewise, clothes will cover any scarring that does occur. This incision can be reopened and used for additional procedures or adjustments in the future. Implants can also be placed very precisely due to the proximity of the implant placement area. Periareolar incisions are suitable for both subglandular and submuscular implant placements.

Inframammary Fold Incision

Inframammary fold incisions are made below the breast, which hides subsequent scarring. Dr. Desman can then insert the implant and adjust it after placement. This is an open procedure, and clothing will cover any scars from the incisions.

Like the periareolar incisions, Dr. Desman can insert the implants very precisely due to the proximity of the incision to the breast, and the incisions can be reopened for future adjustments. This incision presents less risk of infection than periareolar incisions, because the procedure bypasses the milk glands. Inframammary fold incisions are suitable for both subglandular and submuscular implant placements.

FAQs About Breast Augmentation in Northern Virginia

Choosing the right size implants for your breast augmentation is a vital decision. Before your consultation, consider viewing before-and-after photos in the breast photo gallery to get a realistic idea of what size you want. During your consultation, Dr. Desman will assess your frame and help you choose a size that best enhances your proportions. The right size for your body will depend on how broad your chest area is, the base width of your breasts and the distance between them, and whether your skin has enough laxity or looseness to accommodate your desired size.

Using the most advanced surgical and anesthesia techniques, Dr. Desman can maximize comfort and accuracy during your breast surgery for optimal recovery. His approach is called Rapid Recovery Breast Augmentation, which is an innovative method that typically allows patients to return to normal activity within 24 to 48 hours, without the need for narcotics, pain pumps, or special surgical support bras.

After your breast augmentation, it’s best to avoid aerobic activity and exercise for about four weeks, but you can usually resume regular daily activities like driving and reaching above your head immediately. Fully informed patients often have the best outcomes and expectations following a breast augmentation, which is why Dr. Desman is happy to offer detailed information and written materials during consultations and throughout the entire process.

Dr. Desman performs breast augmentations in a state-of-the-art, fully accredited surgery facility in the Alexandria, VA, area. With access to cutting-edge equipment and experienced personnel, your comfort and safety will be absolute priorities. Surgery can sometimes be stressful, but Dr. Desman’s friendly staff and professional facilities will ensure your experience is a positive one.

As with any surgical procedure, breast augmentation has risks that patients should be aware of before deciding to have surgery. While these risks are minimal for most healthy individuals, possible complications from breast augmentation include:

Capsular Contracture – This refers to the formation of scar tissue around the breast implant. While it’s a normal part of the healing process, in some cases, the body creates too much scar tissue. This can squeeze the implant so that it hardens and becomes painful. In cases of excess capsular contracture, the surgeon can perform one or more additional procedures to scrape away the excess scar tissue.

Obstruction of Mammography – Particularly in the case of subglandular implants, breast implants can tend to obstruct mammography results. Submuscular implants significantly reduce this obstruction. Regardless of the placement of the implant, it is important to inform the technician performing your mammogram of your augmentation, so that he or she can adjust the procedure accordingly.

Rupture – While breast implants are carefully designed and regulated to resist rupture, the possibility still exists that an implant will puncture and leak. Rupture is unlikely during normal activities, but if the implants are over- or under-filled, they are at risk of rupturing. When considering a breast augmentation in Alexandria, VA, the best way to prevent ruptures and other complications is by choosing an experienced plastic surgeon.

Traction Rippling – Traction rippling is an effect that takes place when a breast implant becomes settled and pulls on scar tissue, causing a rippled appearance on the surface of the breast. Traction rippling can occur in implants either above or below the pectoralis muscle.